daniel chigunwe
Blessings Chidakwa
Municipal Reporter
Illegal traders are pouring into the Mupedzanhamo area to the north of Mbare, clogging roads and making even pedestrian traffic a grave nightmare, and nothing in the way of effective action by Harare City Council to enforce licensing and public health laws.
A few months ago, illegal structures were demolished, largely to combat rising infections rates of Covid-19 and to create a properly managed market environment.
But by yesterday, illegal structures had been erected covering the whole area in the Mbare flats area opposite the Mupedzanhamo market. Some illegal structures including wooden ones were erected, encroaching the road servitudes on both sides of the Remembrance Drive and Cripps Road, including traffic lights at the intersection.
Heavy and open trucks were parked along Remembrance Drive, giving motorists a hard time to navigate past, also risking lives of the traders after incidents of death were witnessed along the road in the past, caused by speeding vehicles.
A section of a middle pavement along the road just after the Magaba flyover has been turned into a car park for both traders and patrons, causing massive traffic congestion in the area. A Herald car took more than 25 minutes to move just 3km down a major highway, a trip that was supposed to take less than five minutes if the road was clear.
Rogue vendors selling their wares in push carts were also observed selling their products in the middle of the road, worsening the confusion.
Harare City Council acting town clerk Engineer Phakamile Mabhena Moyo said the local authority was battling manpower shortages to enforce order at Mupedzanhamo.
“We have been removing the illegal traders, but they keep coming back,” he said. “At the moment we do not have permanent manpower that can enforce order at the area, but with the available resources we will make sure we maintain order on a continual basis.”
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